I've practiced Shorinji Kempo for over 15 years. It has a great mix of hard (kicks, punches,…read moreblocks, etc) and soft (throws, releases, locks, etc) techniques as well as a deep philosophical study which includes meditation and a form of massage therapy. It works well for all body types and ages, which was appealing from the start. There is always something new and deeper to learn, especially with the variety of students in class. This dojo is very lucky to have an instructor from Japan who has studied for many years, alongside instructors from Japan and the U.S. My training has been invaluable for my health and life, and brought with it great friends, an extra bonus.

My health has been improved by this practice :) also it will help you in your daily life physically…read moreand mentally. It makes your mind clear and everybody can do it . You can contact them to just watch the class or trial free in first time.

I've been here since Jan 2012. My journey with Mike and the crew has been great. New facility same…read moreauthentic Gracie Jiu Jitsu. If you want to learn how to truly defend yourself, get in the best shape of your life come down and check out Gracie Jiu Jitsu New York.

Signed the family up to take classes at the Relson Gracie Academy on Tremont avenue and I can tell…read moreyou that coaches Mike and Rich are both great. Mike Casey is the head coach/owner and an old school Gracie guy.. as real as it gets.. a black belt under Relson Gracie.. super knowledgeable and a great motivator with a no nonsense demeanor. As a beginner I can tell the that the core/fundamental program is awesome.. It is real authentic Gracie Jiu-jitsu.. real combat/ street self defense. The Core program can honestly be done wearing no gi as it is all about real world scenarios, real Gracie style street combat that could save your life. Some schools have gotten away from original Gracie Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and focus entirely on "sport Jiu-jitsu" which has tons of rules and is all about getting points in tournaments.. this is not that school.. although some of the guys do compete.. The blue and higher ranking belts in the school are also very helpful and a great group of guys. Another great thing is that Mike gives you the lesson plan for the whole year, so you know exactly what to expect every class.. The facility is always clean, floor and wall padding always clean, two bathrooms, water fountain etc.. and I always find street parking. The kids program is great for the little ones learning to grapple and is primarily a bully defense program. It is very safe as they are not allowed to do submissions until they reach teenage years and enter the adult program. Overall highly recommended

I was visiting New York from Seattle and there were a ton of Jiu-Jitsu gyms to choose from. I'm so…read moreglad I chose this one. Professor Marlon has created an amazing atmosphere for BJJ right here in Queens. I immediately felt as if I was a part of the family. Professor and Rafa even tried to get me to compete with the team at a local competition (unfortunately, my registration was too late- that was my fault). For background, I'm a white belt. I've been training for about 6 months. The students offered competitive and challenging rolls, and the Professors and coaches offer amazing instruction. Gi, No-Gi, and even Judo. You will get better if you come here.

I've experienced a few different martial arts styles and academies/gyms over the years. The BJJ…read moreinstruction here is on par with some of the best I've experienced. The facility is clean. Staff is friendly and welcoming. Fellow students are open to learning and helping each other improve. If BJJ is on your radar as something you'd like to learn this is a place you should consider committing your time to. Oss!

I began training at Aikido of South Brooklyn about 11 months ago. I'd had some martial arts study…read moreas a kid, but the prospect of re-starting at the age of 44 was daunting. I was apprehensive, hesitant at first - unsure I could learn this art or handle it, in terms of both mental discipline and physical fitness. I needn't have worried. The people are talented, supportive, and focused. Each member of the dojo has encouraged me and helped push me to better understand and practice Aikido. Every class is a rewarding experience, and I each time I go, leave the dojo in a much better frame of mind than the one I was in when I arrived. I highly recommend it.

Sensei Josh is an exceptional instructor with the ability to have rapport with both children and…read moreadults alike. Our daughter has enjoyed and excelled in learning from his instruction. The dojo overall has a strong collaborative culture which enables teaching to also come from other students at all levels. Highly recommended.

One or two nights of any given week, I put on whites and kick ass with an electric sword at a…read morefencing club. One night recently, I put on a gi and hakama instead (blue and blacks?) and tried iaido at New York Budokai. Iaido is essentially what happened when the samurai class got eliminated in Japan - all the tradition got funneled into kendo (combat sport) and iaido (drawing/cutting). From NY Budokai's website: Iaido "involves controlled, precise movements of drawing the sword from its scabbard (saya), striking or cutting an opponent, removing blood from the blade (chuburi), and then replacing the sword in the scabbard (noto)." HOW can you resist something where WIPING BLOOD FROM A BLADE is part of the art. ??!?!!?!?!?!!! Let's be honest - I wanted to try it because it looks really. really. cool. But I was also wondering how it might inform my coordination and distance awareness in regular fencing. Eastern swordsmanship and footwork is totally different from Western (separated by several centuries and thousands of miles, duh). NY Budokai offers a $20 intro class for the curious. All clothing and equipment is provided; just give them a call to let them know you're showing up (Tues/Thurs 7-9pm). Tuesday is better for beginners since the classes are bigger and they'll have someone to focus on you and any other newbies: helping you dress, explaining movements and rituals, etc. Mitchell was endlessly patient, helpful, and easygoing despite the disciplined nature of the practice. The club itself is legit and is affiliated with a dojo in Japan. Each class varies, but most seem to focus on "kata" - practice forms, rather than sparring. From an exercise perspective, it's almost like fast-paced yoga: You'll improve body awareness and control, but sweat is more a result of the thick cotton gear than intense cardio. Aside from being 90% men, the group is a great mix of ages, races, professions, etc. Everyone seems very committed to their practice and the club, but also friendly and welcoming. Full membership is not for me - specifically, my wallet - right now (fencing ain't cheap, either!). But if I could, I would. If you're just a bit curious, go go go take the intro class!! It's a great way to try out something fun and different with a whole lot of history behind it. And, let's not forget - it looks awesome. (Nota bene: If you're lefthanded, sorry - either deal with using your right hand as your sword hand, or don't bother. No allowances are made for lefties. On the plus side, the footwork doesn't bias the right leg being forward nearly as much as Western fencing does, so you could probably swing it.)

I observed a class summer 2012 and fell in love. But I wasn't ready. I spoke to Sensei Ortiz and…read morehe suggested I check out other styles and schools. And I did. So when they offered a special on Signpost, I signed up and back to take my classes. On my first night, I learned how to cut and actually got to cut a mat with a real sword. To say it was a thrilling experience would be an understatement. Just writing it doesn't do this experience justice. It was like your first time shooting live ammo. Intense. Although it was a happy coincidence of timing, I was hooked. I was ready. Instruction, depth of seniority, uniform and equipment lending, everything was top-notch. Exactly what you'd expect for the oldest sword school in NYC. Highly recommend. Note that classes meet at a dance studio facility. It would be nicer if they could meet in a space they own. However, they more than make up for this by organizing tournaments and other excursions off-site.

My Capoeira journey has been truly blessed by Manoulea (Monitora Mundança) and Carl (Monitor Anun)…read more It is absolutely integral that I train with instructors who know how to modify and adapt based on the physical limitations I have in my knees, and they have done so without impatience or judgment. It is simply treated as a fact of my game and I am welcomed fully. Additionally, having an instructor who pulls, vs pushes, is inspiring! A drill sergeant approach doesn't work on me (too much of a rebel, I suppose), but a laughing, dancing, kind energy will make me willing to crawl across broken glass for you. Basically, anyone looking to try Capoeira but is nervous because of where their athletic journey might be, should most definitely work with Capoeira Fit Brooklyn! After all that, I'm EXCITED to try the yoga happening at this new location on Nostrand Ave as well! Met a ton of the instructors recently and they all seem quite fabulous as well (peeked in on a class and looked amazing).

Attended a two hour (6:30 - 8:30) class tonight as a beginner and had a lot of fun. We started off…read moreclass at 6:45 with about 10 minutes of stretching, followed by 10 - 15 minutes of cardio (we had to jog around the space in formation, and then do variations on jumping jacks, crawls across the floor, high knees, etc.), followed by learning some actual capoeira moves like the jenga, the duck (that's not the word they used), 2 kicks and the fake. After that, we got in a circle and practiced the moves we had learned with live music/drumming. The pros danced/sparred with the beginners and were very helpful and patient with us. At the end of class the pros demonstrated what the advanced level students were capable of - fast kicks, flips, spins, etc. while we sang and clapped along. The space is located in the basement of a school gym so there is plenty of room to move about, and our class size was pretty large (approximately 15 or so newbies and about 8 to 10 pros). Since I attended an event I'm not sure if this is representative of what a normal class size would be. Parking was really easy to find because class was at 6:30pm and the street parking rules are in effect after 6pm in the area. Otherwise you can pay for 30 mins at a metered parking spot further down on schermerhorn. Also, this is a very commercial area so most people are leaving work around that time, freeing up parking.

Kendo is an amazingly difficult yet rewarding martial art. Shidogakuin is a very traditional dojo…read morewith a wide range of practitioners. Kato Sensei, 8th dan Kyoshi Kendo, 7th dan Kyoshi Iaido is the head instructor. There is no better teacher that Kato Sensei anywhere in NY. There are also other high ranking members who help guide new players and challenge players with experience. Children are also a part of the dojo, son started a few months ago and has been having a blast. I have been studying under Kato Sensei for around 14 years. I can't recommend him and Shidogakuin enough.

This place is excellent for kendo and iaido. The dojo is located inside of a boxing studio. The…read moresensei is the highest ranking person in the U.S. (8th degree blackbelt) for kendo and is one of the top iaido sensei in the country. His students tend to win tournaments and the small class sizes makes it very welcoming. I recommend.

My 8 year old son Glenn has been going to Oyama Karate for the past several months and he loves it…read morethere! The sensei is very patient and attentive and children-friendly. He goes out of the way to create a real family feline, even having holiday parties and get togethers. Good mix of agers and there is plenty of controlled contact right away. The studio is in an old beat up warehouse on Northern Blvd, but the studios are large, clean and spacious. Plenty of street parking available and the $80 monthly rate is very reasonable! Highly recommended for all ages!

My instructor from GenjoKoan Karate in NYC took us here for a day of training and sparring. This…read moreplace is super awesome with really skilled people at all levels. Shihan Takao is a master of his art. The dojo is easy to locate but the door up to the dojo is a little mysterious lol but once you find out how to get into the place it is great. Spacious matted flooring. Overall a great experience for our style to train with them.